Dear Friends,

Among the most valuable and beloved elements of the Beloit College community are our global connections and, most importantly, our international students, faculty, and staff. We are gloriously international and therein lies a core strength.

For these reasons, I condemn the recent ICE ruling that limits the flexibility of international students at precisely the time when flexibility is so important. The ruling – which requires that international college students living in the U.S. take at least one in-person class or leave the U.S. – limits important choices that ought to be available to both international students and the college.

In the midst of a global pandemic, we need every available option to ensure individual and community health. Period. The ICE ruling leaves us needlessly faced with decisions that compromise the health of our students and the quality of their education.

We are fortunate that our Office of International Education is sophisticated in navigating these waters and completely committed to the success of our international students. And, OIE has willing partners all around the college: our faculty and staff are fully invested in realizing the mission of the college through delivering an education that is accessible to all students.

We will support our international students through this moment in all the ways we can. This will include ensuring that the hybrid approach we take this fall allows for sufficient in-person classes to enable international students to comply with the new guidance.

Many questions remain. We will work closely with our students to address them in a timely and energetic way. More than ever we will harness the power of community.

Sincerely,

Scott Bierman